Celebrity Luncheon Honorees

Published: Friday, April 13, 2001

HEADLINERS

 Carl Anderson has served as a Methodist minister in several churches, including First United Methodist Church, and is associate professor of human development and family studies at Texas Tech. He created the substance abuse studies program at Tech in 1986, the first of its kind in the nation.

 Lubbock Habitat for Humanity, whose volunteers are credited with building 17 houses in one week, is a recipient of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Best Practices Award. The Lubbock Habitat was nominated for its vocational education program.

 Amit Bushan, who is helping kick the smoking habit in Lubbock's public places, is a fifth-grader at All Saints Episcopal School. He has taken his anti-smoking message to area and city schools and before the City Council. He also has petitioned Texas legislators for help in his cause.

 John T. Montford, chancellor of Tech, has spearheaded the university's capital campaign to provide scholarships, endowed chairs and construction and improvements on the campus. He is a recipient of the Founders Award from the Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas.

 A poet who garners headlines is a rarity in today's visual entertainment society, but a West Texas native, former Air Force pilot and professor of English Walter McDonald is an exception. McDonald was named poet laureate of Texas for 2001. He is the poet-in-residence at Tech.

 The Tech graduating class of 1970 was a little late going through graduation  30 years to be exact. On May 11, 1970, four days before the scheduled spring commencement ceremonies, a tornado ripped through Lubbock, killing 26 people and injuring hundreds. Though the students put away their robes and caps, they returned to attend a graduation Aug. 12.

GOLD MEDALISTS

 Shirley Madden, who founded Lubbock's first Christian Women's Job Corps at University Baptist Mission, has worked to match welfare parents with jobs. She also has worked with the South Plains Food Bank, the YWCA, Texas Workforce Commission and Catholic Family Services. She is directing My Father's House, a vocational training and job placement project.

 Leonard R. Jarman, evangelist at Central Lubbock Church of Christ, is active in an urban ministry that offers community-based outreach services, including food and clothes distribution to the homeless. He is founder of Inside Out Community Outreach, a church-based substance abuse, addiction and HIV recovery program.

 Wanda Wesson is a leader in promoting programs that help women and children. She is founder and director of the Stork's Nest program, which opened in August, is affiliated with University Medical Center and is sponsored by the March of Dimes and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority.

 Judge Sam Medina, 237th District Court, credits his success in life to positive role models in his youth, and today is considered a role model himself for young people. He is a member of the board of regents for Baylor University and has served as president of the Mexican Baptist Convention.

LOUISE ALLEN AWARD

 Covenant Health System will be recognized for work in caring for the whole person and working with others to improve health and the quality of life in the community. In the past year, Covenant provided financial support to organizations such as the South Plains Children's Shelter and Women's Protective Services.